Looking Back On Puritanism

By Jamie Alger

    When looking at the research done on Puritanism, it became clear that the main characteristic of the period was a strict belief in God. Puritans were deeply religious and passionate about their mission in life to obey God. Authors of the period tended to be purposeful and direct in their writings, dependent on Biblical guidance. With such strict guidelines on how to lead life, it makes sense that Americans would eventually turn to new ways of life. With the emergence of the Enlightenment, people turned to the world of nature around them, exploring science, nature, and reason. So constrained by the limits of Puritan belief, it seems as if people would be desperate for a more free life and new ways of self-expression.

    Looking back at the Puritan Period, several themes stood out: the American Dream, the Frontier, and Identity. This was the period during which people immigrated to America for the first time. People had to leave behind their already established lives and create completely new identities. Even in the face this uncertainty, people had high hopes. They saw American as a place where they could establish better lives. They believed in the American Dream. They saw the Frontier as a place where they could become whoever they wanted to be and lead the lives they had only dreamed about. This new land of God offered them a place in the world.

    If I had researched this period, I would have chosen to read about Anne Bradstreet and Roger Williams. Anne Bradstreet is often considered to be the first American poet. Her poetry offers insight into the life of American Puritans. She openly wrote about the hardships of daily life, having left a comfortable life in England to explore the unknown frontier and establish a new life. Roger Williams was a controversial figure during the Puritan Period. Williams rebelled against authority and the religion forced upon him. Labeled as a “heretical person,” he believed in the right to individual beliefs. Facing deportation back to England for his rebellion, Williams went into seclusion among the Indians. Both authors went against the standards set before them. Bradstreet was viewed negatively by society, who deemed that she had stepped out of her proper place. Williams was always at odds with the structured lifestyle of the Puritans. Both authors dared to speak their mind. I would argue that such figures were responsible for the new periods and ideas that would eventually become accepted in America. They highly contributed to the development of a better and more diverse America.

    If I had looked at this period, I would have chosen to read “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford and “A Model of Christian Charity” by John Winthrop. “Of Plymouth Plantation” is a journal of the first thirty years of Plymouth Colony. This text defines America’s beginning! In “A Model of Christian Charity,” John Winthrop told Americans how to live a life of Christianity through charitable actions. His idea that one must focus on the person, the work, the end, and the means was inspiring and still is today, offering guidance. He gave people hope by telling society to work together and become a community.  “A Model of Christian Charity” offered motivation and comfort in a time of such uncertainty.

    Puritanism may have offered Americans a place in society and a way of life, but it was the authors of the time who were responsible for the positive developments that would come. By sharing their struggles in life and ideas for a better America, society came to see that new opportunities in life were possible. Puritanism offered a foundation for a way of life and a system of beliefs. Authors of the time allowed America to further develop this foundation, eventually turning to nature, reason, and the self for a greater life.